Know What Employers Are Looking For
Over 80% of New York State employers say that to begin or advance at their company, entry-level employees must be able to demonstrate the following skills...
- Integrity/Honesty - Employers who can be trusted and who can recognize when they are faced with making an honest/dishonest decision based on values. They understand the impact of violating organizational beliefs and choose ethical courses of action.
- Participates as a Team Member - Employees who can work cooperatively with each other.
- Personal Appearance and Hygiene - Employees who demonstrate an understanding of personal appearance (e.g., clean clothing/uniform) and hygiene (e.g., washed and styled hair, clean teeth) appropriate for the company policy.
- Listening - Employees who receive, interpret and respond appropriately to verbal messages and other clues such as body language. For example, they are able to comprehend, to learn, to critically evaluate, to appreciate, or to support the speaker.
- Social - Employees who demonstrate understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy, and politeness in new and on-going group settings and can assert themselves in familiar and unfamiliar social situations.
- Responsibility - Employees who exert high levels of effort and perseverance toward goal attainment and work to become excellent at doing tasks, even when assigned an unpleasant task.
- Self-Esteem - Employees who believe in their own self-worth, who maintain a positive view of themselves and who demonstrate knowledge of their own skills and abilities.
- Writing - Those who communicate thoughts and key information in writing and can record information completely and accurately.
- Speaking - Employees who can organize ideas and speak clearly. They can communicate appropriately to listeners and situations and participate in conversations, discussions and group presentations. They ask questions when needed.
- Serves Customers/Clients - Employees who exhibit appropriate behavior when dealing with customers.
New York State Employer Survey of Workplace Skills, conducted by NYATEP & NYSDOL.
